Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[vehve]

And let's hope it stays that way too.

Nice job with the race, both of you.

 

[K Spot]

Hi Ben and merry Christmas to all.
I am considering getting a welsummer hen, Ben what was yours like and how dark were the eggs?
Cream legbars, speckled and silver Sussex are also on the list so please let me know if you have any experience with these breeds that would be great.

I hope you don't mind me answering this question Ben.

Mingirl, I have two Welsummers and a Speckeld Sussex. I love both breeds, with Wellies being in my top 5. They lay a decent sized lovely tan coloured egg quite regularly; our egg colour for Welsummers here in Australia are lighter than you perhaps would get in breeder hatched bird in the States. I'm not sure what the egg colour is like in the UK.
But I have found the Welsummers to be hardy birds, good layers and do very well in a mixed flock. My two are not top dogs; they sit under my Black Sex Links in the hierarchy.

Now as for the Speckled Sussex, she is a favourite in my flock. Not only is she beautiful to look at, but she is calm, a good layer, a great mum (mine currently has two marans babies); she has never tried to peck me at all when I mess with her babies. She's also a very hardy bird, not a sick day in her life and she's coming up to her third laying season.

I don't have any experience with Cream Legbars, so unfortunately I can't help you there, but I hope the above was helpful to you.

 

[XxMingirlxX]

I hope you don't mind me answering this question Ben.

Mingirl, I have two Welsummers and a Speckeld Sussex.  I love both breeds, with Wellies being in my top 5.  They lay a decent sized lovely tan coloured egg quite regularly; our egg colour for Welsummers here in Australia are lighter than you perhaps would get in breeder hatched bird in the States.  I'm not sure what the egg colour is like in the UK.
But I have found the Welsummers to be hardy birds, good layers and do very well in a mixed flock.  My two are not top dogs; they sit under my Black Sex Links in the hierarchy. 

Now as for the Speckled Sussex, she is a favourite in my flock.  Not only is she beautiful to look at, but she is calm, a good layer, a great mum (mine currently has two marans babies); she has never tried to peck me at all when I mess with her babies.  She's also a very hardy bird, not a sick day in her life and she's coming up to her third laying season.  

I don't have any experience with Cream Legbars, so unfortunately I can't help you there, but I hope the above was helpful to you.

Can you post any pictures? That would be fab!

 

[K Spot]

@XxMingirlxX - I will pm you so we don't clog up Ben's feed

 

[scottcaddy]

@XxMingirlxX - I will pm you so we don't clog up Ben's feed

BUT!! the rest of us like looking at pic's, ya-know!
Scott

 

[K Spot]

BUT!! the rest of us like looking at pic's, ya-know!
Scott

Oh, my bad Scott

 

[lindz8504]

 
@XxMingirlxX
 - I will pm you so we don't clog up Ben's feed 

BUT!! the rest of us like looking at pic's, ya-know!
Scott

Yeah! What Scott said!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Ha! Pic are welcome K-Spot, thanks for sharing such great feedback.

As of last night one broody (Rosie the RIR) broke herself, so we are down to 3. Hopefully another week and we will have some girls getting ready to lay again.

 

[K Spot]

No worries Ben. I'll know for next time pics are welcome

 

[joannefiddler]

Ha! Pic are welcome K-Spot, thanks for sharing such great feedback.

As of last night one broody (Rosie the RIR) broke herself, so we are down to 3. Hopefully another week and we will have some girls getting ready to lay again.

Ben, did you do anything special for them? Are they sitting on anything? Poor confused things!